Forsyth
County North Carolina
Tanglewood Arboretum News It has been very hot and dry, but faithful volunteers show up weekly to help with the gardens and nursery! Bill Barr continues to improve the looks of the buildings with paint and metal kick plates. The nursery area is being revamped with a new, fabric ground cover. Marcia Wood created a landscape proposal for renovating the Fragrance garden; removal of plants from that area began in July. Toby Bost, Arboretum director, received word recently that The Winston-Salem Foundation has approved our proposal for a $5,000 grant to build a roof to cover the deck in the Children’s Garden. Forsyth County’s support will continue another year as well. The county now provides the salary for our part-time groundskeeper position and the funds for general grounds maintenance activities. Donations to the Arboretum are now sent directly to the N. C. Agricultural Foundation for a tax-deductible contribution to the “Friends of the Arboretum at Tanglewood Park”. Members of the Friends program are invited to the upcoming Gala. The Children’s education committee sent a flyer to the Forsyth County School system to market the Spring programs for the county’s third graders. Fifth grade teachers participated in a tour (picture below) of the Arboretum on August 17. They viewed our educational facilities and gardens to learn about science program opportunities. Lunch was also served to them with help from volunteers. Toby gave a great workshop on irrigation and watering. Following the workshop a drip system was installed in the Friendship garden. Upcoming events: Friends of the Tanglewood Arboretum Gala October 18 at the Manor House. Invitations will go out in September. A tree walk with Jim Nottke is planned for October 24 (11 am) on the Treasure Tree Trail - mark your calendar! Connie Little - Volunteer Coordinator
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MGV Field Trip to NC Zoo Planned for October
Calling all Forsyth Master Gardeners! Watch for an announcement of a mid-October field trip to the North Carolina Zoo. We’ll enjoy a special tour of the zoo’s authentic plant July 2007environments for its exhibits. Fees for the trip will include transportation, a “rolling breakfast,” and admission fees.
The NC Zoo has a huge budget for plant acquisition and maintenance. This is a must-see opportunity.
Previous visitors have marveled at both indoor and outdoor plant collections. More sites are being developed this summer. We must arrive early morning (9:00 a.m.) which is the best time to view the plantings. Our “rolling breakfast” will allow us to sail right by yucky fast food pits.
After the tour, we’ll allow ample time for lunch (buy it there or bring your own), visiting exhibits you missed during the tour, and shopping. We’ll announce an estimated time of return as soon as we finish planning.
The date and fees will be made public as soon as we have the final details. In any event, a detailed announcement will appear in the October Terra Firma.
Make your reservations with Linda Dunn, Forsyth Agricultural Extension office, (336) 703-2850.
Plan to join us and see wild and ferocious plants ….. Nothing could be finer than visiting the Zoo in Carolina!
Don Wolfe – Travel Committee chairperson
Volunteer opportunities at SciWorks
Thanks to the NC Division of Forest Resources, SciWorks was recently awarded an Urban and Community Forestry Grant.
The three components of the grant that we would like to address are:
- remove invasive, exotic plants
- plant additional native trees
- provide educational opportunities
Throughout the year we will offer workshops, tree identification walks, tree planting days, and an Arbor Day event. We welcome Master Gardeners’ help with implementing this grant and other gardening projects.
In addition to the scheduled events, we will need help throughout the year maintaining the newly planted trees. We can accommodate volunteers anytime from 8:30am – 6:00pm, Monday –Saturday. Feel free to set your own schedule and pace.
Upcoming events this fall
- Thursday, October 25, 9:00-11:00AM – Master Gardener work day to remove invasive weeds and plant trees. Meet at the cabin in the Environmental Park. No sign-up required.
- Saturday, November 10, 9:00-11:00AM – Tree planting day open to all. If you want to learn or assist with planting trees, meet new folks and enhance the beauty of SciWorks’ Environmental Park, bring your gloves and please join us. Not up to digging? No problem - you are more than welcome to help water and mulch. This is a great opportunity to get involved with a SciWorks’ event at the ground level (no pun intended). Meet at the cabin in the Environment Park.
Directions to the cabin in the Environment Park
If you are facing the main entrance to SciWorks, go right and follow the sidewalk all the way down into the Park. You will see the cabin as you enter the Park.
For more information please contact:
Kelli Isenhour
Director of Programs and Education, SciWorks
(336) 714-7106, Email SciWorks
Nature’s Hard Drives
Long before the iPod or the MP3 player nature designed the perfect system for storing data in very small spaces. It’s fascinating to think that inside a seed is all the information needed to produce a particular plant. Whether a watermelon or a sunflower; the seed of the plant has stored all the information needed to produce another similar plant.
I enjoy collecting seeds, for me they represent hope and promise. Trusting that nature has done her job of coding each seed with the right information; I hope for another season of beauty and bounty in my garden.
There is a certain etiquette that should be observed when collecting seeds and plants. Don’t collect from public or private property unless you have permission. Never collect from an endangered plant. Take only ten percent.
Timing is important when collecting seeds. They
need to be fully developed but you want to get them
before the capsule has broken and the seeds spilled
or the wind has blown them away. Keep in mind that
weather can affect the maturity of seeds, an early
spring or dry summer can speed up maturity. Be sure
to collect only healthy seed. Seeds that show signs
of mold or decay are not good candidates for next year’s
crop. Allow the seeds to dry thoroughly. Store seeds
in paper envelopes; be sure to label them with type
of seed, year collected and any other information you
might need.
For more information on collecting and storing seeds
you can visit:
www.wildflower.org
http://www.wildflower.org/clearinghouse/articles/Seed_Collect.PDF
Pamela Stewart
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Website Work Moving Forward This is a busy time for us all getting ready for our fall changes in schedules, especially if one has children going back to school. The stewards of the MGV website are working hard to bring updates to the calendar for all upcoming activities so you may find what is currently happening anywhere in the program areas for the month. The main page will always have the marquee to alert you to any current items. Month by month happenings will be on the calendar of events page. If you have a meeting or event to add for others to attend, please send that information to Pam Stewart for the MGV Calendar of Events and to Mary Conroy for Arboretum related items. One of the great things about the world wide web is the ability to get things out there quickly. This month Kathie Burton will have the Sept. Terra Firma loaded onto the website by Sept. 1st. Check out the latest info there and also check out the Homeowner monthly Q&A which will be online for the first time.
Mary Conroy - webmaster Do you have news for the next Terra Firma Online? Email us View recent issues of Terra Firma Online |
The Q&A will be a monthly review of some of the most asked questions from the hotline area from Homeowners in our area. 
Rare Plant List
Piedmont Gerardia
Wild Hyacinth
Venus’ Flytrap
Smooth Coneflower
Large Witch-alder
Franklintree
Schweinitz’s Sunflower
Sarvis Holly
Ginseng
Pink-Shell Azalea
Michaux’s Sumac
Low Wild Petunia
Bloodroot
Mountain Sweet
Pitcherplant
Hooded Pitcherplant
Green Pitcherplant
Sweet Pitcherplant
Alabama Canebrake
Pitcherplant
Oconee Bells